Stirred-tank reactor heat transfer

Some modes of heat transfer to stirred tank reacdors are shown in Fig. 23-1 and to packed bed reactors in Fig. 23-2. Temperature and composition profiles of some processes are shown in Fig. 23-3. Operating data, catalysts, and reaction times are stated for a number of industrial reaction processes in Table 23-1. 

FIG. 23-1 Heat transfer to stirred tank reactors, a) Jacket, (h) Internal coils, (c) Internal tubes, (d) External heat exchanger, (e) External reflux condenser. if) Fired heater. (Walas, Reaction Kinetics for Chemical Engineers, McGraw-Hill, 1959). 

Figure 17.33. Heat transfer to stirred-tank reactors (a) jacket (b) internal coils (c) internal tubes (d) external heat exchanger (e) external reflux condenser (f) fired heater (Walas, 1959).

Experimental investigations of wall heat transfer in stirred tank reactors have been reported by Engeskaug et al [23], Oldshue [65], Hewitt et al [40], among others. 

Engeskaug R, Thorbjprnsen E, Svendsen HF (2005) Wall Heat Transfer in Stirred Tank Reactors. Ind Eng Chem Res 44 4949-4958 FLUENT (1996) FLUENT User s Guide, Release 4.4, Volume 1-4, Fluent Inc, Lebanon (1996)... 

Continuous Flow Reactors—Stirred Tanks. The continuous flow stirred tank reactor is used extensively in chemical process industries. Both single tanks and batteries of tanks connected in series are used. In many respects the mechanical and heat transfer aspects of these reactors closely resemble the stirred tank batch reactors treated in the previous subsection. However, in the present case, one must also provide for continuous addition of reactants and continuous withdrawal of the product stream. 

The major part of the book deals with nonideal reaetors. Chapter 4 on pore diffusion plus reaetion ineludes a new method for analyzing laboratory data and has a more eomplete treatment of the effeets of eomplex kineties, particle shape, and pore structure than most other texts. Catalyst design to minimize pore diffusion effects is emphasized. In Chapter 5 heat transfer correlations for tanks, particles, and packed beds, are reviewed, and the conditions required for reactor stability are discussed. Examples of unstable systems are included. The effects of imperfect mixing in stirred tanks and partial mixing in pipeline reactors are discussed in Chapter 6 with examples from the literature. Recommendations for scaleup or scaledown are presented. 

A jacket is not the only device that can be used to transfer heat in a stirred-tank reactor, or in a batch reactor. It is also common to use a coil of tubing that is inserted into the reactor through the top head. In fact, it is not uncommon to use both a jacket and a coil. A third possibility is to circulate the reactor contents through an external heat exchanger, although this alternative is less common. The analysis of all three of these heat-transfer techniques is similar. 

Two complementai y reviews of this subject are by Shah et al. AIChE Journal, 28, 353-379 [1982]) and Deckwer (in de Lasa, ed.. Chemical Reactor Design andTechnology, Martinus Nijhoff, 1985, pp. 411-461). Useful comments are made by Doraiswamy and Sharma (Heterogeneous Reactions, Wiley, 1984). Charpentier (in Gianetto and Silveston, eds.. Multiphase Chemical Reactors, Hemisphere, 1986, pp. 104—151) emphasizes parameters of trickle bed and stirred tank reactors. Recommendations based on the literature are made for several design parameters namely, bubble diameter and velocity of rise, gas holdup, interfacial area, mass-transfer coefficients k a and /cl but not /cg, axial liquid-phase dispersion coefficient, and heat-transfer coefficient to the wall. The effect of vessel diameter on these parameters is insignificant when D > 0.15 m (0.49 ft), except for the dispersion coefficient. Application of these correlations is to (1) chlorination of toluene in the presence of FeCl,3 catalyst, (2) absorption of SO9 in aqueous potassium carbonate with arsenite catalyst, and (3) reaction of butene with sulfuric acid to butanol. 

A continuous flow stirred tank reactor (CFSTR) differs from the batch reactor in that the feed mixture continuously enters and the outlet mixture is continuously withdrawn. There is intense mixing in the reactor to destroy any concentration and temperature differences. Heat transfer must be extremely efficient to keep the temperature of the reaction mixture equal to the temperature of the heat transfer medium. The CFSTR can either be used alone or as part of a series of battery CFSTRs as shown in Figure 4-5. If several vessels are used in series, the net effect is partial backmixing. 

The advantages of continuous tubular reactors are well known. They include the elimination of batch to batch variations, a large heat transfer area and minimal handling of chemical products. Despite these advantages there are no reported commercial instances of emulsion polymerizations done in a tubular reactor instead the continuous emulsion process has been realized in series-connected stirred tank reactors (1, . ... 

Recycling of partially reacted feed streams is usually carried out after the product is separated and recovered. Unreacted feedstock can be separated and recycled to (ultimate) extinction. Figure 4.2 shows a different situation. It is a loop reactor where some of the reaction mass is returned to the inlet without separation. Internal recycle exists in every stirred tank reactor. An external recycle loop as shown in Figure 4.2 is less common, but is used, particularly in large plants where a conventional stirred tank would have heat transfer limitations. The net throughput for the system is Q = but an amount q is recycled back to the reactor inlet so that the flow through the reactor is Qin + q- Performance of this loop reactor system depends on the recycle ratio qlQin and on the type of reactor that is in the loop. Fast external recycle has... 

Therefore, many traditional designs, such as stirred tank reactors, incorporate heat transfer in the process (jacket, external or internal coil, etc.). However, in these devices, there is a significant distance between the heat transfer site and the site of the chemical reaction where heat is released. As a consequence semibatch mode is implemented while batch mode and/or systems are diluted. 

Four mmoles of malononitrile and benzaldehyde were introduced in a batch stirred tank reactor at 323 K with toluene as solvent (30 ml). Then 0.05 g of aluminophosphate oxynitride was added. Samples were analysed by gas chromatography (Intersmat Delsi DI200) using a capillary column (CPSilSCB-25 m). Care was taken to avoid mass or heat transfer limitations. Before the reaction no specific catalyst pretreatment was done. 

Fig. 5.4-23 shows a sketch drawing of a BSC (Brogli et al., 1981). The stirred-tank reactor made of glass (a metal version is also available) is surrounded by a jacket through which a heat-transfer fluid flows at a very high rate the jacket is not insulated. The temperature of the circulation loop is regulated by a cascaded controller so that the heat evolution in the reactor is equilibrated by heat transfer through the reactor wall. The temperature in the loop is adjusted by injection of thermostatted hot or cold fluid. 

Fig. 3.2 shows the case of a jacketed, stirred-tank reactor, in which either heating by steam or cooling medium can be applied to the jacket. Here V is volume, Cp is specific heat capacity, p is density, Q is the rate of heat transfer, U is the overall heat transfer coefficient, A is the area for heat transfer, T is temperature, H is enthalpy of vapour, h is liquid enthalpy, F is volumetric flow... 

Figure 3.2. Model representation of a stirred-tank reactor with heat transfer to or from the jacket.

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